Steam generator or water heater



Feb. 25, 1930. H. J. FOUN'TAIN 1,743,935

' STEAM GENERATOR OR WATER HEATER Filed April 15 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 25, 1930. H. J. FOUNTAIN STEAM GENERATOR OR WATER HEATER Filed April 16, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Feb, 25 1930 I Wall of the boiler isbuilt up of a lurality 'rality of east metal units ;l-in the form'of .annuli with thimbles 2 projecting radially from stockparts and renewal.-

ed by STUNIVTEVDSTATES HOWARD, JOHN" rounranm or Lennon, nnen'nivn, Assrernon or 0NE511IALF- TO: GL'ARKSON THIMBLE TUBE BOILER COMPANY, or ennon, ENGLAND STEAM GENERATOR' on ATE HEATER Application filed April 16,1929, Serial No. 355,460, and iii GreatBritain February 14, ;192a,

This invention relates to steam generators i or water heaters ofthe kind 'comprlslng an 3 annular water chamber having short tubes or thimbles projecting radially inwards into acentral space through which the hot gases pass. Y

I and inexpensive fconstruction of boiler of this kindwhichcan be built up which permits of cheap In accordance with the inventionthe inner of cast iron units in the form of annuli with thimbles projecting ra'dially inwards; the

said units being superposed andfitting di-' rect one upon'the other and being surround an outer shell whereby to define with the outer shell the annular water chamber of the boiler." The upper and lower edges or. faces of, the units maybe machined to form f fiat joint faces or one face of each unit may,

be formed witha circular 'rabbet' orgroove or the like and the opposite'facemay present j a circular rib engageable with the rabbet in the adjacentunit whereby toiorm a joint. Therabbets orgrooves and ribs may be tapered; The outer 'shellof the boiler may j jalso. be oicast' metal and be adapted to fit within circular rabbets or grooves in "suit ably formed boiler end plates.

The superposed units may be b ti rods disposed externallyof the outer fume ,11

shell, or-theunits maybe held together by tie rods" located in the-water chamber and extending between the upper and lower end T plates, said tie lower end plate and projectinggthrough the r end plate, for engagement by nuts assorodsyb'eing screwed into the c'ia'ted wlth hard rubber washers ensuring joint tightness.

The-combustion chamber, and, the base may The base may be for the combustion chamber so that these members mayioccupy any suitableangul'ar position withc-grespectv to one another.

The smoke-box maybe secured by studsto.

' the upper end plate while the stoking'chute may merely rest on the smokeebox'; 7

The invention hastor its object to provide a simple.

held together The superposed units may be so disposed' wlth respect to one another as to provide' astaggered arrangement of the thimbles.

The invention is illustrated'in the {accompanyingdrawings inwhich Fig.1'isa front elevation of a steam generator or water-heater in accordan'ce with the invention; Fig.9'2is a j 3 vertical section on th'eline A.'B ofig.'1;; Figs; 3, 4 and 5 are detailviews of the cast iron units; Fig. 6' is a horizontal section substantially on the{ through the smoke-box line C-Dof Fig. 1.

As shownthe boiler is built up of;ap'1u-' inwards. The units are adapted tobesupejr posed, the-upper face of'each unit being formed'with a clrcular rabbet 3 or the like-" for engagementwith the lower edge l of the superposed'unit ("see particularly Figs. 3-5 wherebyto formjoints between the units. The rabbets 0rgrooves 3 and the mat- 1 ingi edges A are correspondingly tapered. 1 The outer shell 5, defining with the superposed units 1, the water chamber 6 of the boiler, mayalso be of cast metal, said shell beingadapted to engage circular rabbets 7 r a in the end plates;8,;9 of the boiler.

:Between the assembled thimbled-units l 7 and the end plates 8,9 of the boiler are inter posed short tubesor rings 10, 11, each ma chined on one edge'to mate with the adjacent p i:

unit,,- the other edge of each ring'being in engagement with a rabbet or groove 12 formed in the relative boiler end plate.

therabbets 7, 12 in the end plates 8, 9 to form V ffiuid tight joints. 7 v 1 The end plates 8, 9 areinterconnected by therods 13located in the water chamber 6,;

tie rod nuts 14:.

16 denotes the combustion chamberwhich is'separate irom the base -17 the base beingformed with a circular, seat 18 engaging the lower edge of the chamber 16, the construe- 9 9O 1 said rods being screw-threaded into the lower end plate 9 and projecting through clearance" holes in the upper end'plate 8 for engagement by n'uts '14. 15' denotes hardrubber washers interposed between the upper cover 8 and the v tion being such that the members may occupy any suitable angular position with respect to one another. The base door 19 may be con trolled by a thermostat (not shown).

5 20 denotes the smoke-box secured by studs to the upper end plate 8. The stokmg chute 21 rests on top of the smoke box 20. A pet cock (not shown) may be provided on the coverQQof the stoking chute 21 so that any gas in the chute may be ignited and burnt before removal of the cover. 7 7

It will be understood that if units as described and outer shells of one or more different sizes be kept in stock the erection of a boiler of any particular dimensions may be rapidly effected.

I claim In a steam generator or water heater, an outer wall, an inner wall, end plates, means for securing said outer and inner walls and end plates together to form an annular water space. said inner wall comprising a plurality of interfitting annuli, at least some-of which have inwardly directed thimbles or spurs, said thimbles terminating 'a distance from the center of the generator and defining a central passage, a coking chute extending downwardly through said central passage, the lower end ofsaid chute terminating adjacent the lower edge of the lowermost annuli, and a filler ring between said lowermost annuli and the lower end plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

HOWARD Joint FoUNTArN. 

